Betting on the Super Bowl is a huge part of the history of the NFL’s showcase game itself. Commonly referred to as “Black Sunday” for the sportsbooks, it is one of the most heavily bet days in the sporting calendar. Let’s take a look back at the history of NFL betting on the Super Bowl through the first 55 editions so far.
Super Bowl betting trends
While the results in the history of the Super Bowl have little bearing on the game due to be played next, it’s interesting to see how the game has played out compared to the betting lines and spreads historically. Let’s examine the NFL betting trends through the history of the Super Bowl.
Moneyline results and against the spread
The favorite has a clear edge in Super Bowl history when it comes to winning the game outright. The favorite is 36-18 — with Super Bowl XLIX being a pick at kickoff — in Super Bowl history. However, when you dig deeper and look at how the favorite has fared depending on the decade, things look a little different.
In the first 10 Super Bowls, the favorite was 8-2 straight up. Between Super Bowls XI and XX, the favorite was 7-3 straight up. It was a similar story in the next 20 years, with the favorite going 8-2 between Super Bowls XXI and XXX, before going 7-3 in Super Bowls XXXI to XL.
[bet-promo id=”160605″ ]At that point, the favorite was 30-10 straight up. Things have evened out in the past 15 years. The underdog has actually won nine of the last 15 Super Bowls, although the favorite is 3-2 in the last five years.
Additionally, the spread has only actually come into play in six Super Bowls (10.9%). In Super Bowls X (1976), XXIII (1989), XXX (1996), XXXVIII (2004), XXXIX (2005), and XLIII (2009), the favorite won but did not cover. Two games have also pushed (fallen exactly on the spread), making the Super Bowl betting record at 28-24-2, an advantage to the favorites.
Totals betting trends
There was no total set for Super Bowl I so we have 54 years of data to look back on. Intriguingly, totals betting in the Super Bowl is actually close to even at 26-28 (26 overs, 28 unders). The breakdown of how we have gotten to this point is particularly intriguing.
The first decade saw the under dominate, going 7-2. The following two decades were more even with the over edging it 11-9 (over 13-16 overall). The over was then slightly more dominant between Super Bowls XXXI and XL, going 6-4 in that stretch (19-20 overall). The last 15 years have seen it even again (7-8) to bring us to 26-28 over the past 54 Super Bowls.
What is intriguing is how those last 15 years have broken down in terms of the totals. When the total has been set over 50, the under has hit on six of the seven occasions. The one exception was the Patriots vs. Falcons Super Bowl, which went over 57 with James White’s touchdown in overtime.
When the total has been set between 45 and 50, the over is sitting at 6-2. Additionally, each of the last six totals to be set between 45 and 50 has seen the over hit. In the past 15 Super Bowls, the total was set at below 45 just once — 43.5 in Super Bowl 50 — with the under hitting on that occasion.
Full Super Bowl betting history
Let’s take a look back at the full betting history for the Super Bowl from SB I through SB LV. Along the way, we will track how the favorite has done straight up (SU) and against the spread (ATS) as well as how the total has fared over the years.
Super Bowl I – Super Bowl X
- SB I | Packers (-14) 35-10 Chiefs
Favorite SU: 1-0; ATS: 1-0
No total given - SB II | Packers (-13.5) 33-14 Raiders
Favorite SU: 2-0; ATS: 2-0
Total: Over 43 (Over 1-0) - SB III | Jets (+18) 16-7 Colts
Favorite SU: 2-1; ATS: 2-1
Total: Under 40 (1-1) - SB IV | Chiefs (+12) 23-7 Vikings
Favorite SU: 2-2; ATS: 2-2
Total: Under 39 (1-2) - SB V | Colts (-2.5) 16-13 Cowboys
Favorite SU: 3-2; ATS: 3-2
Total: Under 36 (1-3) - SB VI | Cowboys (-6) 24-3 Dolphins
Favorite SU: 4-2; ATS: 4-2
Total: Under 34 (1-4) - SB VII | Dolphins (-1) 14-7 Washington
Favorite SU: 5-2; ATS: 5-2
Total: Under 33 (1-5) - SB VIII | Dolphins (-6.5) 24-7 Vikings
Favorite SU: 6-2; ATS: 6-2
Total: Under 33 (1-6) - SB IX | Steelers (-3) 16-6 Vikings
Favorite SU: 7-2; ATS: 7-2
Total: Under 33 (1-7) - SB X | Steelers (-7) 21-17 Cowboys
Favorite SU: 8-2; ATS: 7-3
Total: Over 36 (2-7)
Super Bowl XI – Super Bowl XX
- SB XI | Raiders (-4) 32-14 Vikings
Favorite SU: 9-2; ATS: 8-3
Total: Over 38 (3-7) - SB XII | Cowboys (-6) 27-10 Broncos
Favorite SU: 10-2; ATS: 9-3
Total: Under 39 (3-8) - SB XIII | Steelers (-3.5) 35-31 Cowboys
Favorite SU: 11-2; ATS: 10-3
Total: Over 37 (4-8) - SB XIV | Steelers (-10.5) 31- 19 Rams
Favorite SU: 12-2; ATS: 11-3
Total: Over 36 (5-8) - SB XV | Raiders (+3) 27-10 Eagles
Favorite SU: 12-3; ATS: 11-4
Total: Under 37.5 (5-9) - SB XVI | 49ers (-1) 26-21 Bengals
Favorite SU: 13-3; ATS: 12-4
Total: Under 48 (5-10) - SB XVII | Washington (+3) 27-21 Dolphins
Favorite SU: 13-4; ATS: 12-5
Total: Over 36.5 (6-10) - SB XVIII | Raiders (+3) 38-9 Washington
Favorite SU: 13-5; ATS: 12-6
Total: Under 48 (6-11) - SB XIX | 49ers (-3.5) 38-16 Dolphins
Favorite SU: 14-5; ATS: 13-6
Total: Over 53.5 (7-11) - SB XX | Bears (-10) 46-10 Patriots
Favorite SU: 15-5; ATS: 14-6
Total: Over 37.5 (8-11)
Super Bowl XXI – Super Bowl XXX
- SB XXI | Giants (-9.5) 39-20 Broncos
Favorite SU: 16-5; ATS: 15-6
Total: Over 40 (9-11) - SB XXII | Washington (+3) 42-10 Broncos
Favorite SU: 16-6; ATS: 15-7
Total: Over 47 (10-11) - SB XXIII | 49ers (-7) 20-16 Bengals
Favorite SU: 17-6; ATS 15-8
Total: Under 48 (10-12) - SB XXIV | 49ers (-12) 55-10 Broncos
Favorite SU: 18-6; ATS: 16-8
Total: Over 48 (11-12) - SB XXV | Giants (+7) 20-19 Bills
Favorite SU: 18-7; ATS 16-9
Total: Under 40.5 (11-13) - SB XXVI | Washington (-7) 37-24 Bills
Favorite SU: 19-7; ATS 17-9
Total: Over 49 (12-13) - SB XXVII | Cowboys (-6.5) 52-17 Bills
Favorite SU: 20-7; ATS 18-9
Total: Under 50.5 (12-14) - SB XXVIII | Cowboys (-10.5) 30-13 Bills
Favorite SU: 21-7; ATS 19-9
Total: Under 50.5 (12-15) - SB XXIX | 49ers (-18.5) 49-23 Chargers
Favorite SU: 22-7; ATS 20-9
Total: Over 53.5 (13-15) - SB XXX | Cowboys (-13.5) 27-17 Steelers
Favorite SU: 23-7; ATS 20-10
Total: Under 51 (13-16)
Super Bowl XXXI – Super Bowl XL
- SB XXXI | Packers (-14) 35-21 Patriots
Favorite SU: 24-7; ATS 20-10-1
Total: Over 49 (14-16) - SB XXXII | Broncos (+11) 31-24 Packers
Favorite SU: 24-8; ATS: 20-11-1
Total: Over 49 (15-16) - SB XXXIII | Broncos (-7.5) 34-19 Falcons
Favorite SU: 25-8; ATS: 21-11-1
Total: Over 52.5 (16-16) - SB XXXIV | Rams (-7) 23-16 Titans
Favorite SU: 26-8; ATS: 21-11-2
Total: Under 45 (16-17) - SB XXXV | Ravens (-3) 33-7 Giants
Favorite SU: 27-8; ATS: 22-11-2
Total: Over 33 (17-17) - SB XXXVI | Patriots (+14) 20-17 Rams
Favorite SU: 27-9; ATS: 22-12-2
Total: Under 53 (17-18) - SB XXXVII | Buccaneers (+4) 48-21 Raiders
Favorite SU: 27-10; ATS: 22-13-2
Total: Over 44 (18-18) - SB XXXVIII | Patriots (-7) 32-29 Panthers
Favorite SU: 28-10; ATS: 22-14-2
Total: Over 37.5 (19-18) - SB XXXIX | Patriots (-7) 24-21 Eagles
Favorite SU: 29-10; ATS: 22-15-2
Total: Under 46.5 (19-19) - SB XL | Steelers (-4) 21-10 Seahawks
Favorite SU: 30-10; ATS: 23-15-2
Total: Under 47 (19-20)
Super Bowl XLI – Super Bowl L
- SB XLI | Colts (-7) 29-17 Bears
Favorite SU: 31-10; ATS: 24-15-2
Total: Under 47 (19-21) - SB XLII | Giants (+12) 17-14 Patriots
Favorite SU: 31-11; ATS: 24-16-2
Total: Under 55 (19-22) - SB XLIII | Steelers (-7) 27-23 Cardinals
Favorite SU: 32-11; ATS: 24-17-2
Total: Over 46 (20-22) - SB XLIV | Saints (+5) 31-17 Colts
Favorite SU: 32-12; ATS: 24-18-2
Total: Under 57 (20-23) - SB XLV | Packers (-3) 31-25 Steelers
Favorite SU: 33-12; ATS: 25-18-2
Total: Over 45 (21-23) - SB XLVI | Giants (+2.5) 21-17 Patriots
Favorite SU: 33-13; ATS: 25-19-2
Total: Under 53 (21-24) - SB XLVII | Ravens (+4.5) 34-31 49ers
Favorite SU: 33-14; ATS: 25-20-2
Total: Over 48 (22-24) - SB XLVIII | Seahawks (+2.5) 43-8 Broncos
Favorite SU: 33-15; ATS: 25-21-2
Total: Over 47.5 (23-24) - SB XLIX | Patriots (Pick) 28-24 Seahawks
Favorite SU: 33-15*; ATS: 25-21-2*
Total: Over 47.5 (24-24) - SB 50 | Broncos (+5) 24-10 Panthers
Favorite SU: 33-16; ATS: 25-22-2
Total: Under 43.5 (24-25)
*There was no favorite in SB XLIX
Super Bowl LI – Super Bowl LV
- SB LI | Patriots (-3) 34-28 Falcons
Favorite SU: 34-16; ATS: 26-22-2
Total: Over 57 (25-25) - SB LII | Eagles (+4) 41-33 Patriots
Favorite SU: 34-17; ATS: 26-23-2
Total: Over 49 (26-25) - SB LIII | Patriots (-2.5) 13-3 Rams
Favorite SU: 35-17; ATS: 27-23-2
Total: Under 56 (26-26) - SB LIV | Chiefs (-1.5) 31-20 49ers
Favorite SU: 36-17; ATS: 28-23-2
Total: Under 53 (26-27) - SB LV | Buccaneers (+3) 31-9 Chiefs
Favorite SU: 36-18; ATS: 28-24-2
Total: Under 55 (26-28)